David Beckham Wants To Start Chain of 'Pie and Mash' Shops

David Beckham ended his 20-year soccer career in May and now the English star is thinking about launching his own restaurant chain of "pie and mash" shops with help from hothead celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

Beckham, 38, is a notorious fan of pie and mash — minced beef in a pastry shell with a side of mashed potatoes — so much so that he wants to start a franchise of eateries that feature a modern twist on the traditional English dish.

It was first rumored that Beckham would be investing in Ramsay's upcoming Mediterranean restaurant in London, which is scheduled to open Sept. 16.

"Instead of getting involved in Gordon's new restaurant, David wants to open a pie and mash cafe in London as a starting point for a worldwide chain," the source said. "David was just looking around Gordon's new restaurant and it's been misinterpreted that he was investing in the place. There was an option for David to invest early on but he wanted to stick to opening somewhere that would sell his own favorite grub."

Beckham is married to the former Spice Girls singer Victoria Beckham, who is also known as Posh Spice, and has achieved worldwide popularity both on and off the field. He was No. 8 on Forbes magazine's list of the world's highest-paid athletes in 2012 with earnings of $46 million, which include sponsorships with companies including Adidas AG, PepsiCo Inc., and Giorgio Armani.

David Beckham ended his 20-year soccer career in May and now the English star is thinking about launching his own restaurant chain of "pie and mash" shops with help from hothead celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.